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Write Your Authentic About Page

This course is currently closed for registration. Please email us at to learn when it’ll be available again.

Write Your Authentic About Page

A do-it-together online course for solo & small business owners 

   

          If writing your authentic About page were really as easy as freewriting a charming list of factoids about yourself . . . you wouldn’t still be privately angsting over yours.

You’d already have written a page you felt great about long ago, clicked publish, and moved on with life and business.

But there’s more to it than that. Your inner storyteller knows that a truly compelling About page is so much more than striking the right note of clever, grounded, and downright brilliant. (Because, you know, that’s not challenging or anything.)

The kind of About page YOU really want, the kind your business deserves:

  • drops the pretty-life pretense and the soulish bravado and is just real 
  • conveys clearly and succinctly to your ideal customers that your product will delight them, specifically, and/or
  • communicates with compassion that you specialize in helping clients just like them solve their particular problem.

          Writing your authentic About page is about standing in the sun.

It’s about connecting with the people you want to serve. It’s about YOU, standing in your gifts and experiences, owning your innate voice, and looking eye-to-eye with your reader. Mask off.

It’s about letting yourself be seen.

Person in a large bunny suit costume standing in the sun

But make no mistake about it: writing your own About page is hard.

You are NOT the only smart, sensitive, empathetic business owner who has lost their way in the About page-writing process. You have nothing to be ashamed of.

Truth is, you have everything to look forward to. A more instant and resonant YES from your Right Person readers — those dream clients, ideal customers, and perfect collaborators you want to reach. A higher conversion rate on your About page’s call to action (i.e. whatever you ask them to do at the end of the page). And a sense of accomplishment from knowing you have quietly rocked the most important page on your site and can happily move on to something else while your site visitors are busy learning more about you and getting even more excited to hire you.

          How important is it?

Studies show that the About page is typically the most highly visited page on any website — including yours. Within seconds of a new person arriving on your site, they want to know where they are and what this place is about. Sure, they’ll gather visual clues and unconscious inklings from your brand’s suite of signals. And THEN — they’ll click over to your About page.

Write your authentic About page with Abby Kerr & The Voice BureauBecause your About page is where it’s at.

It’s the page where you tell the most important parts of your story. It’s the page where you establish the link between you and your Right People, and why you are the best brand or professional for them. It’s the page where ‘selling’ naturally unfolds without pushing, convincing, or being at all sales-y. In short, it’s where the unique relationship between you and your Right Person begins to take hold.

If your About page isn’t ‘landing’ or resonating with your Right People they may never even go on to check out your products or services.

But many solo and small business owners have chronic About page ambivalence. They want to get it written, but they don’t want to write it. At the heart of all the avoidance and procrastination is this fear:

What if your self-told story fails to connect with your Right People?

The concern is real. The risk is a real bummer. No click, no connection, no customer.

Or maybe it’s NOT a fear of putting yourself out there that’s been stopping you from writing (or rewriting) your About page.

Maybe it’s the time factor. You know if you had a basic structure that felt good, you could take it and run, but until that day comes, you just feel stuck on where to begin. And as a business owner, there are so many other things to do.

But understanding why you’re not writing doesn’t solve your problem.

ONLY WRITING WILL.

          Ready to start writing?

I’ve created a course to help you move through confusion, indecision, and the ever-changing cloud of “best practices” to move you STRAIGHT toward what will work for your About page.

My hunch is you’re a proficient enough writer to rock this out. My professional experience has shown that most people are MUCH better natural writers than they think they are. Everybody has a voice. You can trust your voice.

What most people NEED — including the hundreds of small business owners I’ve worked with over the last four years — is structure, organization, and narrative flow.

They WANT an About page they’re proud of, one that feels like them.

They want peace in the process and the product.

Sound like you?

Write Your Authentic About Page is designed to give you just that.

          Your authentic About page:

  • sounds like you, not your mentor or copywriter
  • is written with clear intentions
  • gives site visitors a sense of your personality
  • relies on natural, authentic language — not jargon or made-up words
  • invites your Right People to do something
  • takes a strong stance on a unique perspective you hold
  • is PLEASURABLE to read and write

If it’s time for you to write and publish your authentic About page, I can help you start, navigate, and FINISH the process.

Write Your Authentic About Page testimonial from Naomi den Besten

          In this 4-lesson, do-it-together online course, you’ll learn:

  • WHO reads your About page, why and when they read it in the arc of their buying journey, and what they’re looking for
  • WHAT the basic elements of an About page are — and which elements are optional, nice to have, or not needed at all
  • WHEN to share details of your personality versus your business story versus talking about your Right People
  • WHERE to place your opt-in, your Calls to Action, your headshot, and your “mood” photo(s)
  • HOW to uncover your best raw material during the writing process
  • WHY you shouldn’t ask your romantic partner, best friend, or mom to give you feedback on your About page

AbbyELAAs a small business owner myself, I write my own website copy, too. I can cop to the sensitive, thinking business owner’s propensity to dither over details, to mull over meaning, and to unintentionally overcomplicate the process of writing the all-important About page.

And let’s be honest: About page ambivalence is NOT just about lack of time or access to helpful resources. I may be the Chief at a brand voice and copywriting agency, but I’m not immune to self-consciousness, self-judgement, and YES, holding my own voice back.

There’s so much vulnerability involved when we come to the page to tell our own story. Hiring a copywriter can be a good antidote to your I’m-too-close-to-see-this-clearly problem. But when your business is new or you’re a professional writer yourself, that’s not always the best option.

Write Your Authentic About Page testimonial from Deirdre Walsh

The beautiful, freeing thing is: once you learn basic structure and core elements, and you find a focus for writing, and a sense of what will make your About page a compelling read for your Right People, it becomes much easier and more pleasurable to get started. Not to mention, to finish and publish it.

I get it. And I’d love to help make your About page-writing experience easier.

          I’ll even show you my personal copywriting process.  

The first time I taught Write Your Authentic About Page, I was approaching a re-write of my own About page. Since then, lots has changed in my business, and it’s time for yet another version! Inside this course, I’ll take you inside my own writing process in a series of 3 short screencasts, in which I model my writing process for you from start to finish. You’ll see how I take the exact teachings and techniques from this course and apply them to my own business’s About page. If you’ve ever wanted to stand over the shoulder of a copywriter as she works, be prepared for an eyeful!

Ready to see what else you’ll learn inside this course? Here it is:

YOUR 4-WEEK, 8-LESSON COURSE SYLLABUS

You’ll receive 8 lessons of original audio content with written transcripts and screencasts (videos), plus writing templates, delivered over 4 weeks via email. Course content is hosted on Dropbox, so each weekly email will contain a link for you to download the content to your own computer or save it to your own Dropbox. I’ll also send you a Friday reminder email, to help you stay in pace with the course.

All course participants will have the chance to volunteer their About page-in-progress, or the one currently published on their site, for my individual critique. Copy will be critiqued in a supportive fashion, focusing on what works and why, and what could be crafted to work even better. Participants agree to receive their critique via a screencast that will be shared with all course participants, and will be included in the self-paced version of the course later, for future participants to watch and learn from. If there are lots and lots of volunteers, priority will be given to participants who have NOT received an individual critique in a past version of this course.

WEEK 1 – LESSON ONE // Mon, June 15th

  • Philosophy of an authentic About page
  • The purposeful magic of narrative flow — what it is, how it works, and how to tap into it

WEEK 1 – LESSON TWO // Wed, June 17th

  • 8 elements every great About page must have
  • Screencast Tour (narrated video) of effective About pages from multiple industries — from wellness to life coaching to artist and designer brands
  • Inside Abby’s Writing Process – 1st Video

WEEK 2 – LESSON THREE // Mon, June 22nd

Lesson 3 content provides a blueprint for the rest of the course. Each lesson following will ‘unpack’ these templates and teach you how to adapt them for your own business and brand.

  • 4 elegant, approachable About page templates you can adapt for your business

WEEK 2 – LESSON FOUR // Wed, June 24th

  • 7 no-fail idea-generating exercises to help break down writer’s block
  • Round-up of my favorite resources for keeping your writerly mind inspired and engaged
  • Inside Abby’s Writing Process – 2nd Video

WEEK 3 – LESSON FIVE // Mon, June 29th

  • Subtle but powerful copywriting techniques that strengthen your writing, help site visitors stay engaged, and get your Right People clicking
  • 1st Participant Screencast Critique: a narrated video tour of current course participants’ in-progress and published About pages, pointing out what’s working and what could be improved according to course content

WEEK 3 – LESSON SIX // Wed, July 1st

  • 3 ways to test the success of your About page
  • 2nd Participant Screencast Critique: a narrated video tour of current course participants’ in-progress and published About pages, pointing out what’s working and what could be improved according to course content

WEEK 4 – LESSON SEVEN // Mon, July 6th

  • The 6 most common About page faux pas & how to avoid them
  • 3rd Participant Screencast Critique: a narrated video tour of current course participants’ in-progress and published About pages, pointing out what’s working and what could be improved according to course content

WEEK 4 – LESSON EIGHT // Wed, July 8th

  • 5 ways to make sure your About page works hard for your business day after day
  • How to know when it’s time to rewrite your About page
  • Inside Abby’s Writing Process – 3rd Video

 

YOUR COURSE EXPERIENCE INCLUDES:

  • 8 audio lessons, with written transcripts, delivered by email — clear and succinct, without sacrificing depth

  • 1 screencast (pre-recorded video), in which I discuss and critique actual About pages from the web

  • Opportunity for my individual critique of your published or in-progress About page, delivered via screencast to all course participants (3 participant screencasts total)

  • Supportive private Facebook community of WYAAP participants.
  • Wrap-Up Q&A Call + Mp3 — a live call specifically for your questions about course teachings and how to apply them in your own About page copy
  • BONUS: 3 videos taking you inside my own writing process as I rewrite The Voice Bureau’s About page
  • Complimentary access to all future content for Write Your Authentic About page — you’ll receive updates as I tweak the course material over time

Write Your Authentic About Page testimonial from Lynn Baldwin-Rhoades
Write Your Authentic About Page course testimonial from Melissa Black
Write Your Authentic About Page course testimonial from Heidi Taylor

Write Your Authentic About PageThis course is perfect for:

  • DIY’ers and self-starter business owners who want to learn basic About page structure, philosophy, and narrative flow

  • people who have overwhelmed themselves by over-thinking the writing process and need About page clarity in an easy-to-digest, fun-to-follow format

  • business owners with great follow-through but a modest budget

  • people who want to learn a few good copywriting techniques, plus a bevy of key mindsets, that will not only strengthen their About page but many future business writing projects to come

Want an even richer course experience?

Add on a Copy Consult — a private back-and-forth between me and you on ONE draft of your About page.

Send me your ready-to-publish draft, and I’ll curate it with notes, insights, and suggestions for strengthening what’s on the page, based on your Voice Values. My one-to-one services start at $500, but as a participant in this course, you can get my fingers clicking in your doc for $225. I only have room for 10 Copy Consults this time around, and once they’re booked, they’re booked.

This course is currently closed for registration. Please email us at to learn when it’ll be available again.

Paige Baldwin-Ando Testimonial

     What This Course is NOT:

I love clarity and think it’s important to manage expectations. Here’s what is NOT included in Write Your Authentic About Page:

    • one-to-one coaching or peer workshopping of written drafts
    • an exhaustive survey course of copywriting techniques
    • a primer on the structure of any other website page (other than the About page)
    • a business coaching or business development course

Write Your Authentic About Page testimonial from Mo Cleary

Write Your Authentic About Page testimonial from Stormy Sweitzer

 

FAQs

// I REALLY WANT TO TAKE THIS COURSE BUT I’M NOT SURE I’LL BE ABLE TO KEEP PACE WITH EVERYONE ELSE, DUE TO A VACATION/MOVING/LIFE EVENTS. HOW LONG WILL I HAVE ACCESS TO THE COURSE MATERIALS?

Forever! Once downloaded to your own computer or online storage, your course materials are yours to keep, use, and engage with forever — no expiration date. You’ll be able to download the course materials for up to two weeks following the end of the course.

Also note that you have ongoing, complimentary access to all future content in Write Your Authentic About Page. That means, anytime I update the course materials or lead a live cohort (like this one), you’ll be automatically in — with no additional charge!

// I’M A SOLO BUSINESS OWNER. DOES THE COURSE MATERIAL APPLY TO ME?

Absolutely! The Voice Bureau (my own biz) is solo-owned and my company specializes in brand voice development for values-based solo-owned businesses and small businesses. If this is you, you are definitely in the right place! You’ll receive FOUR flexible, customizable About page templates that can be adapted and iterated to YOUR size of business, your product-and-service mix, and your industry. I’m highly confident that whatever business structure you have or are planning to have, this course material will be helpful to you.

// MY BUSINESS IS STILL IN THE DREAMING/PLANNING PHASE. IS IT TOO SOON FOR ME TO TAKE THIS COURSE?

Nope. As a business owner (or an aspiring one) with a web presence, it’s NEVER too soon to start learning the skill sets and mindsets that will make you a stronger copywriter. We all have to tell our business story. This course will help you do that more effectively, efficiently, elegantly, and with more pleasure.

// I’M NOT SO TECH SAVVY. WHAT DO I NEED TO BE ABLE TO USE THE COURSE MATERIALS, & WHAT IF I RUN INTO A TECH SNAFU?

If you can click links, open files, and press PLAY on a video or Mp3, you have what you need to use the course materials. And if you get stuck or run into a snafu, our amazing Virtual Concierge  is just a message away at

// DO I HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP?

No. The private Facebook group for the course is completely optional. You can join it or not, and once you join, you can participate as much or as little as you want. Plus you can customize your own Facebook settings to receive more or fewer notifications from the group, or none at all. The Facebook group is there to support your experience with the course materials. I (Abby) do not interact heavily in the group or give feedback on About pages there. Inside the group, you’ll find other business owners who have enrolled in the course and are working through the material at their own pace. The group is pitch-free, which means it’s not a place for participants to market to one another. (Sweet relief!)

// ABBY, ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO PERSONALLY WORK WITH ME ON MY ABOUT PAGE DURING OR AFTER THE COURSE?

Yes. I have a limited number of Copy Consult spots available at a special price for course participants. Make sure you select one of the Copy Consult options at purchase to reserve your spot.

// DO YOU HAVE A REFUND POLICY OR A GUARANTEE?

I guarantee that you will be getting the best of my teaching, and I do not offer refunds. I offer a rich learning experience but I do not guarantee specific results, as participants will come to this course in all different seasons of life, phases of business, and levels of self-awareness. You are responsible for integrating and implementing the learnings from this course in your own way, and in your own time.

// AFTER I PURCHASE, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Watch your Inbox for a confirmation email. Click the link in the email to Complete Your Purchase. THEN click the link on the Complete Your Purchase page to be automagically transported to our Participant Questionnaire, where you’ll tell me a little about yourself, your business, and what you’d like out of the course.

Any questions that aren’t addressed here? Email us at and we’ll get back to you within 1 business day, PST.

Chris Guillot-01-01 Janina Waz Testimonial

This course is currently closed for registration. Please email us at to learn when it’ll be available again.

I’m honored that you want to learn from me. 

          ABOUT the COURSE CREATOR & FACILITATOR

                         // ABBY KERR

Headshot composite of Abby KerrAbby is Creative Director of The Voice Bureau and Creator of the Voice Values paradigm for branding.

She’s a brand voice specialist and in former professional lives was the founder and proprietor of an award-winning indie lifestyle boutique called THE BLISSFUL, and before that, a high school English teacher.

Through The Voice Bureau, Abby creates and teaches online courses for values-based business owners who want to explore brand voice, copywriting, and content creation. She and her team also write websites, sales pages, e-books, and e-newsletters for business owner clients.

Abby is an Enneagram Type 4 INFJ Pisces whose Voice Values are Excellence, Power, Depth, Clarity, and Legacy.

When she’s not developing teaching and learning materials for The Voice Bureau, she’s experimenting with recipes, playing with her two French Bulldog-Boston Terrier mix dogs, and exploring neighborhoods around Seattle.

 

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What Participants Are Saying

Write Your Authentic About Page course testimonial from Miki DeVivo

Write Your Authentic About Page testimonial from Naomi Wittlin

Write Your Authentic About Page Testimonial from Lillie DignanWrite Your Authentic About Page testimonial from Carla Pyle

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           How to help spread the word  . . .

If you feel so moved, I’d be honored if you’d share Write Your Authentic About Page with your community or readership. 

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Cut through the haze of best practices & finally write your #AuthenticAboutPage: http://bit.ly/authenticabout

I’m beyond ready to write my #AuthenticAboutPage & I’m doing it with @AbbyKerr in this course: http://bit.ly/authenticabout

If you’re not yet thrilled with your own #AuthenticAboutPage, take a look at this: http://bit.ly/authenticabout

Your #AuthenticAboutPage gets the most page views on your site. Is it time to make yours shine? http://bit.ly/authenticabout

Here’s a do-it-together course on writing your #AuthenticAboutPage from @AbbyKerr: http://bit.ly/authenticabout

A copywriting course from The Voice Bureau — for your About page! http://bit.ly/authenticabout

Time to start (& finish) your #AuthenticAboutPage? This can help: http://bit.ly/authenticabout

Yep, the About page really is the hardest page to write. Here’s a course to help business owners: http://bit.ly/authenticabout